🔗 Share this article Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order Evoking the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others. On an night on the town with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and selling drugs. A Study of Understanding Instead of Exploitation The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care. In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for momentary bliss. "The urban landscape can be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can find their own family, too." A Complex Relationship of Love and Control Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from shady figures in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the fear of state surveillance and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds. Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film functions as a moving exploration into survival, chosen family, and the quest for purpose within a harsh urban landscape.